Child Development

Healthy Start Vouchers
Healthy Start is a government scheme that provides free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, infant formula, and vitamins to certain pregnant women and children.
People who are eligible include the following:
• If you are pregnant or have at least one child under four years old, and you or your family are receiving:
• Income Support
• Or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Or Child Tax Credit and the family has an income below a certain limit
• If you are pregnant and are under 18 years old

If you are accepted on to the scheme you get vouchers sent to you in the post every four weeks. Each voucher is worth £3.10 (at April 2011). If you are pregnant then you get one voucher for each week. Each child aged 1-4 years gets one voucher for each week. A baby under one year old gets two vouchers for each week. You will also get advice about healthy eating, breast-feeding, infant feeding, and how to use the vouchers.
Many well known shops and supermarkets take part in the scheme. They exchange the vouchers for:
• Fresh milk
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Baby-milk formula
Many shops that take part in the scheme will have a Healthy Start sticker in the window. The foods have to be the specified types of food. For example, the milk must be liquid cow's milk and not flavored types. The infant formula must be based on cow's milk and be a type that is suitable from birth. The fruit and vegetables have to be fresh, not frozen or tinned, but including salad. It does not include fruit juices or smoothies. Also, you should use the full value of the vouchers as you cannot get change from them.

In addition, you can get free vitamin supplements. Your midwife or health visitor will let you know how these are provided in your local area.